1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to plumber tools and more particularly to a rotary sewer pipe root cutting tool which may be attached to the leading end of plumber snake, or the like.
One of the problems encountered by many homeowner's in residential areas is maintaining the sanitary sewer from the dwelling to its connection with the municipal gathering line free from shade tree and other vegetation roots seeking moisture which tend to obstruct fluid flow through the sanitary sewer line. In order to maintain the sewer line open it is frequently necessary to employ professional help in removing roots from the sewer line.
This invention provides a manually operated economical tool for removing roots from a sewer line.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The most pertinent patent is believed U.S. Pat. No. 2,192,086 issued Feb. 27, 1940 to Kjerulff for PIPE SEWER ROD. This patent discloses a cutter member comprising a plurality of double edge helical blades slidably mounted at respective ends with sleeves surrounding a sewer entering rod. The cutting blades are arcuately bowed outwardly intermediate their ends and the confronting ends of the cutter mounting sleeves are provided with root engaging teeth.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,864,617 issued Jun. 28, 1932 to Ree for SEWER CLEANER and U.S. Pat. No. 2,336,293 issued Dec. 7, 1943 to Pletcher for CLEANING DEVICE are examples of the further state-of-the-art. The Ree patent discloses a pair of semicircular flexible cutting blades intended to follow the inner contour of sewer pipe and the Pletcher patent discloses a plurality of sewer pipe inner wall engaging blades secured at one end portion to a rotating head angularly rotated by fluid pressure from an above ground pump.
This invention is believed distinctive over these and other patents by providing a plurality of sewer root engaging blades projecting outwardly from a body member angularly rotated by an elongated helical member attached to the forward end of a plumber's snake and longitudinally reciprocated manually for rotating the root cutting blade member.